Amalgamating or plating machine.



C. G. MILLER. AMALGAMATING OR PLATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY17, 1912.

1,128,481 Patented Feb..16,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

O. G. MILLER.

AMALGAMATING 0R PLATING- MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY1'7,1912.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 C0215 (mime (i/WZ if C. G. MILLER.

AMALGAMATING OR PLATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. 1912.

1 ,128,481 Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

3 KER S E 330% 0 Q" w I I H w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CONSTANTINE Gr. MILLER. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR- TO THE MEAKER COMPANY, 11. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AMALGAMATING OR PLATING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

Application filed July 17, 1912. Serial No. 709,869.

T04 I'vmm. it may camera lie it known that I, COSSTANTINE G. Mm men, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amalgamating or Plating Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numbers of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in amalgamating or plating machines.

This invention relates more particularly to an amalgamating or plating machine adapted for use in plating or galvanizing structural bars, pipe and other objects of considerable length.

Heretofore, although many attempts have been made to satisfactorily galvanize structural bars such as angles and channels, such attempts have not proven entirely success ful for the the reason that the gassing of the electrolyte soon permits such an accumulation of hydrogen bubbles beneath the cavitics of the bar as to preclude uniform plating. Many attempts have been made to 0b viate this, althpugh itwvould seem that the realcause of the unequal plating had not been heretofore Well understood and various expedients have been resorted to, which, however, have heretofore proved unavailing to assure uniformity and homogeneity of the coating. Because of the difficulties before enumerated, uniform plating of bars of any considerable length has heretofore been deemed impracticable except at very large expense and perhaps in some instances, necessitating several treatments to secure even the inferior results heretofore attained.

The object of this invention is to. provide a galvanizing or plating machine so constructed as to permit structural bars, pipe or other materials, of any desired length (depending merely upon the dimensions of the machine) to be treated continuously and progressively and to insure absolute uniformity in the result.

.It is also an object of the invention to provide means for freeing the bars from hydrogen bubbles practically as formed and.

to subject every portion of the bar or object treated to exactly the same action.

Finally it is an object of the invention to form an exceedingly strong, simple and durable machine for the purpose specified, consuming but slightpower and acting to automatically delivery the bars in the desired position into the machine and as automatically delivering the treated bars therefrom.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more fully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying my invention, showing the same partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same broken away. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail illustrating the means for feeding the bars from the inlet to the discharge end of the machine. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section of one of the cathode supporting elements and one of the reciprocating propelling bars.

As shown in thedrawings, said machine comprises a tank or trough 1, which in the construction shown is, of course, of a width suitable to receive therein the desired length of bars, and, inasmuch as bars of any length may be treated, the width of the tank is therefore indeterminate.

Extending longitudinally the tank on each side the middle thereof are supporting bars 2, which may be of wood, but in the top of which is bedded a metallic bus bar 3, which affords the contact at all times for the objects to be treated and may be considered as the cathode element. Each of said bars is connected with lead conductors i and 5, which in turn are connected with one of the lead wires 6, of any suitable source of current, as, for instance, a generator 7. Supported upon suitable posts in said tank are reciprocating propelling bars 8 and pivotally engaged on each of said bars are weighted teeth 9, which normally are supported with the upper end thereof projecting abovethe reciprocating bar'8, and the lower end thereof supported upon a sultable pin 10, said teeth being at all times directed ,toward the discharge end of the machine.

Means are provided for feeding the bars (in this instance shown as angle bar fence posts) into the machine, moving the same to the discharge end and discharging the same from the machine. For this purpose a driving pulley 12, is suitably journ aled at the discharge end of the machine and the shaft 13, thereof is provided with a worm 14, which drives to a worm gear 15, secured on a shaft 16, which extends for the entire width of the discharge end of the tank and on which are provided sprocket-wheels 17 and 18, about which are trained sprocket chains 19, which also are trained about sprocket wheels 20, upon a shaft 21, submerged in said tank below the cathode supporting bars 2. As shown, teeth 22, are provided on said sprocket chain s, which, however, are arranged with one somewhat inadvance of theother so that as the bars are elevated on said chains from the electrolyte the electrolyte drains therefrom into the tank. Also journaled in said tank upon supporting posts 23, is a shaft 24, provided with sprocket wheels 25, about which are trained sprocket chains 26, which are, also trained about corresponding sprocket Wheels on the shaft 21', so that the shaft 24, is driven continuously from the driving pulley 12, as' also are the conveyer chains 19. At the opposite or feeding end of the machine a shaft 27, is journaled transversely the tank and is driven by means of a sprocket chain 28, trained about a sprocket wheel on the outer end of the shaft 16, and a corresponding sprocket wheel 29, on the outer end of the shaft 27. Within and above the tank, as shown, and rigidly secured ,on the shaft 27, are disks 30, on each of which secured on diametrically opposite sides thereof are outwardlyadirected arms 31, which,

as shown, are set on the respective disks so that the arms on the one thereof are slightly in advance of the arms on the other, so that the angle bar or other structural form supported thereon must be supported in an inclined-position, as shown in Fig. 2, and also as before described with reference to the discharge conveyer chains. The object in feeding the bars in the inclined position by means of the arm 31 as shown in Fig.2 is to introduce one end of the bar into the solution first, thus allowing the air beneath the bar to escape at the other end which takes place due to the fact that said end rests on the guide 32 for a brief interval and is slightly higher than the immersed end of the bar. At the feeding end of the machine also is provided a guide 32, on which. the angle bar posts or other structural forms are slid to the arms 31, for delivery into the.

machine. Said propelling bars 8, are supported at their ends (and at any desired number of, points intermediate their ends) on flanged rollers 34, some of which are shown as on the shaft 21, and as shown also, a connecting rod or pitman 35, is connected in a suitable wrist pin on a disk 36, one at each end of the shaft 24, and connected at its opposite end with the propelling rods 8,

of the machine-permits said teeth to swing upwardly to engage said bars to slide the same toward the discharge position. Of course, the relative amount of movement of the bar on the cathode elements with reference to the amount of reciprocation of the propelling bars 8, may vary dependent upon the rate of feed desired and this in a sense -may vary with the character and shape ofv the articlesto be plated. As'shown, said teeth are arranged approximately six inches apart for the entire length of said feeding bars and at this distancethe throw of the crank should be approximately seven, inches to insure full clearance of the'teeth from beneath the bars before the forward movement begins. I

As shown, means are provided for turning the bars over during the treatment. For this purpose, as shown, shafts 37, are journaled transversely the tank intermediate the ends thereof and each is driven by the sprocket chain 38, driven from the shaft 21. On each of said shafts 37, is an abrupt cam 39, affording a relatively long throw and pivotally supported adjacent thereto and beneath the cathode bars is a freely suspended bell crank 40, one arm of which is extended horizontally rearward beneath the structural bars traveling on the cathode elements,

- and the ither arm of which extends downwardly and at all times bears against said said bell crank, the horizontal or free end thereof is thrown violently upward to engage and turn over the structural bars on the cathode supports, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. As shown, bus bars 42, extend across said tank'at the top thereof and support anode plates 43, in sufficiently close relation with the bars to be treated and above the same, and beneath said cathode supports are corresponding bus bars 44, on which also are supported anode plates 45, and as shown, the lead conductor 46, from the generator 7, is connected with a bus bar 48, at the side of the trough from which suitable leads are taken to the anode elements supported as before described above and below the articles to be treated.

tural bars to be plated, (and, of course, any

kind may be plated and of any length). is

set in operation by applying power to the belt wheel 1'2. and the bars (in the present instance shown as angle bar fence posts approximately nine feet in length) are fed into the machine by delivery thereof in an in clined position. as shown in Fig. 2. by arms 3-1, of the feeding element. These. by the rotation thereof. deposit said angle bars in an inverted position upon the cathode supporting bars, as shown in Fig. 3. and the continued reciprocation of the propelling bars 8, slide said bars along on the cathode support toward the discharge position. hen the angle bar is inserted. as shown, at the inlet end of the machine in Fig. 2, the accumulation of hydrogen (particularly on the underside of the bar) is rapid. and for the purpose of freeing the bar therefrom the bell crank 40, is arranged to strike the bar a somewhat violent blow to throw the 'bar over upon its flange, as shown in dotted tinues its travel toward the discharge end of" the machine until approaching the 'next succeeding turning point at which position the bell crank or turning arm again strikes a violent blow thereon, turning the angle bar from its flange to its web, also as shown in Fig. 2. Of course, the bar may be turned as many times and as often during the treatment as may be desired, for obviously any desired number of turning arms may be provided intli e length of the cathode bars and such turning and consequent agitation of the electrolyte and shock to the bar treated serves to maintain the surface of said bar free from gaseous accumulations. As the bars successively reach the elevator chains 19, the teeth '22, thereon engage beneath the bar as indicated by X, in Figs. 2 and 4, and, inasmuch as said teeth are arranged so that those on one chain are in advance of those on the other, the bar is lifted from the electrolyte in an inclined position, permitting the same to freely drain all the electrolyte therefrom back into the tank. Continued movement of the elevator carries the bar forwardly to discharge position from whence it may be delivered to any receiving receptacle or mechanism.

It is to be observed that the operation of the machine is continuousthat the bars during treatment are not permitted to re main in any one position long enough to permit any considerable accumulation of gas thereon but instead are frequently turned with more or less violence, the agitation of the electrolyte as Well as the shock of the blow from the turning arm. serving to dis place gaseous bubbles therefrom, rendering the surface clean at all 'times.

Of course, the rate of o eration of the machine may be reglilated y the rate of belt drive or by varying the relative sizes of certain sprocket wheels. This, however, is of course, well understood. The same is true also .of many other details of the construction, for it is evident that I have shown but one preferred form of a machine embodying my invention, although having pointed out the defects in prior existing machines, and my method and construction for obviating the same, it is obvious that very many changes and modifications of the particular construction I have described may be varied without departing from the principles of this invention. I therefore do not purpose limiting this application for patent otherwise than necessitated by the prior art, and I desire to claim broadly both the method and the apparatus for accomplishing the objects hereinbefore set forth.

I claim as my invention 1. A plating machine en'ibracing a tank containing an electrolyte, means for passing the objects to be plated intermittently therethrough, and cranks acting to overturn said objects at certain intervals and obviating the accumulation of gas thereon.

'2. In a device of the class described a tank, ways submerged therein adapted to support articles"to be plated thereon. recip rocating bars adjacent said ways, pawl members pivoted on said bars adapted to advance said objects intermittently on said ways, and means positively overturning said objects while on. said ways independently of said advancing mechanism.

3. A plating machine for bars embracing a tank containing an electrolyte, cathode elements and anode elements, a feeding mechanism for delivering bars thereto at substantially uniform distances apart, reciprocating means for propelling the bars through the machine, power operated means acting to strike said bars to turn the same and to agitate the electrolyte. and a discharge mechanism for delivering the treated barsfrom the machine.

4. In a machine of the class described the combination with a tank containing an electrolyte, of positively supported track bars therein, affording ways on which the articles to be plated move, a reciprocating element, pawls pivoted thereon, each one adapted to contact and move a separate object on said ways, means for turning "the bars at regular intervals on said cathode support, a discharge conveyer to deliver the bars therefrom, said discharge conveyer acting to support said bars only in an inclined position to permit drainage.

5. A plating machine embracing longitul DU dinally extended parallel supporting bars, cathode conductors supported thereon and adapted to support ways on which the objects to be plated slide, anode elements supported above and below the objects to be treated, a source of current connected with,

the cathode and anode elements, means acting to turn the bars during treatment, reciprocating elements within the machine adjacent the ways. and pawls on said elements adapted to more said bars on the cathode supports.

6. In a device of the class described a continuously operating plating machine for long objects embracing a suitable electrolytic bath, cathode and anode elements, mechanically operated means acting to turn said objects over during platin", conveying mechanism acting intermittently and independently of said means to move objects through the bath, and a discharge conveyer acting to lift the treated objects from the electrolyte in position for free drainage.

7. In a machine of the class described the tank and the electrolyte therein, rigid longitudinally extended parallel supports, cathode bars thereon, anodes supported above and below said bars and all suitably connected with a source of current, a feed mechanism for delivering on said cathode bars the bars to be plated in inclined position, reciprocating advancing means acting to slide the bars along on said cathode bars, and mechanism for removing the bar from the machine at the end of the treatment, said removal being accomplished with the -bar in an inclined position to facilitate drainage.

8. A machine of the class described embracing cathode supports, bars supported transversely thereon, positively acting means for turning said bars during treatment, and

a toothed reciprocating element for moving said bars along said cathode rails.

9. In a machine of the class described the combination with cathode supports, of objects to be plated supported thereon, anode elements above and below the same, a source of current for said elements, and a plurality of cam actuated turning arms disposed in the path of said objects to be plated and acting when operated to strike said bars violently upward from beneath to turn the same in, and agitate the electrolyte. 10. In a machine of the class described mechanism for feeding objects to be treated in an inclined position into the electrolyte, a fixed support therein for said objects, a reciprocating propelling mechanism therefor, and a discharge mechanism embracing continuously driven sprocket chains each provided with one or more teeth arranged out of horizontal alinement with those on the complemental chain whereby the plated object is lifted from the electrolyte in an inclined position for drainage.

11. In an electroplating machine a rigid cathode support for the articles to be plated, mechanically operated intermittently acting mechanism to advance the articles therealong, and means acting independently of said advancing mechanism to overturn the articles at certain intervals in their travel.

12. In an electroplating machine continuously acting feeding means, intermittently acting advancing means, continuously acting discharge means, and positive] driven mechanism acting independently o the advancing means to overturn articles during an intermission in the advance thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CONSTANTINE G. MILLER.

\Vitnesses C. W. HILLs, J. W. ANGELL. 

